


Turning Up The Heat

by Snugglebuttkitten



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Best Friends, College Roommates, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Heavy Sin, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Miraculous Exploration, minor smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 15:28:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16200371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: A (hopefully) unique take on the 'heat cycle' trope





	Turning Up The Heat

**Author's Note:**

> So I wanted to post something before leaving for vacation and couldn't find the muse for any of my other stories. This has been sitting in my writing folder for a while as I love this trope but have always hesitated at turning it into a story (mostly due to my lack of experience writing smut). But I wanted to post something and if you enjoy this, I will continue it

**Few things to note about this AU before we begin;**

**1.) The love square does not exist prior to the start of this story. Both in and out of the masks, these two have always had a PLATONIC relationship, until NOW**

**2.) Nino and Alya do NOT come into play here; I might add them later but it's debatable**

**3.) Marinette and Adrien met their freshman year of University (at age 18-19), and have been best friends ever since (now 21/22Yrs old)**

 

* * *

 

_Three Years Ago_

Marinette Dupain-Cheng wrung her hands together nervously and stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror that stood in one corner of her attic bedroom. The young woman twisted back and forth, inspecting her outfit this way and that for even the most minuscule flaw. Her lips pursed, eyes narrowing in frustration before she finally cast her gaze towards the tiny Goddess floated in her peripheral.

“Tikki?” She questioned, and after four years, she didn’t need to say any more for the Kwami to just _know_ what her chosen was asking.

“You look amazing, Marinette!” The tiny red and black creature squeaked, zipping closer to smile reassuringly at the girl she had been entrusted to.

Marinette smiled, and the tension immediately drained from her shoulders as she beamed at the Goddess that had pretty much been her only friend for the past four years. “Thanks, Tikki. Now, we should get going if we don’t want to be late for orientation!” She said, scooping up her backpack and opening up her ever-present clasp purse for the Kwami to hide in. Once she had everything, the girl hurried to the trap door in her floor, ready to start a new chapter of her life. Who knew what University held in store for her?

  


________

  


“You’re not going, Adrien,” Gabriel Agreste turned abruptly to glare at the young man sitting across the desk from him, his pale blue eyes seeming to darken with rage. The look only made the young man sink further into his seat, shoulders hunching beneath the weight of his father’s stare. It had been stupid, really, to think his father might permit him to attend University. How long had he been trying to get his father to loosen the reigns? How many times had he pleaded and begged his father to permit him to attend a real school, to make real friends? _Too many times_ , the words flashed across his mind and he suppressed a sigh.

“I’m sorry, father,” he mumbled, shrinking even further into himself.

“Adrien! Sit up straight and stop mumbling when you speak! I taught you better than that,” Gabriel scolded, turning his back on his son and scooping up the folder he had previously discarded on the desk. Adrien did as he was told immediately, his facial expression resembling that of a kicked puppy.

“Yes, father,” he said obediently, forcing strength he didn’t feel into his tone. Gabriel Agreste barely paid attention to his son, too busy mulling over the contents of the folder before him. He scoffed, turning back around to throw the folder down carelessly upon the desk.

“Physics, Adrien? You want to study _physics_ ?” He demanded, looking rather offended at the very notion. “Have I not given you everything you could possibly want in life? A roof to live under, a perfectly balanced diet, not to mention a career in a highly sought after industry that some would _kill_ to get a foothold in,” the man continued, staring down his nose at the properly cowed man before him.

“I’m s-sorry, father. But…” Adrien broke off, biting his lip uncertainly, but for once Gabriel was actually paying attention to what his son was saying.

“But? But _what_ , Adrien? Pray tell, where on earth did I go wrong?” He demanded lip curling into a look of mild disgust. Adrien froze, green eyes wide as he stared back at his father, and slowly his head bowed in defeat.

“N-Nothing, father,” he mumbled apologetically. The older man gave a swift nod and turned away, waving a hand dismissively at his son.

“Go to your room, Adrien. You will be summoned when your dinner is ready,” he ordered. Adrien sighed, shoulders slumping once more, but he rose obediently and turned towards the door. Yes. It had been stupid to think his father would ever agree to something like this. Adrien had always known he would one day take over his father’s company, whether he liked it or not. It was his fate, his destiny, and no magical ring or power-granting cat God would change that. He was almost to the door when his father spoke again, his tone quieter as if Adrien wasn’t supposed to hear his words. He should have kept going, shouldn’t have stopped to listen, to eavesdrop. But he was a curious cat and everyone knows the saying about curiosity and cats.

“Your mother would have been so disappointed,” his father murmured, and Adrien froze as if every bone, every muscle in his body had been seized. “Where did I go wrong with him, Emilie? What did I do to ruin our son?”

Adrien felt tears prick his eyes… but stronger than that, a burning hatred flooded his system and lit his blood aflame. Plagg poked his head out of his shirt pocket, worry in his acid green eyes. As the God of Destruction, he could sense when those around him were about to do something stupid and, well, destructive. His chosen was oozing volatile energy.

“Adrien, don’t do anything stupid,” he hissed pleadingly, green eyes wide in a rare show of genuine worry. The boy ignored him, however, whipping around and forcing the Kwami to duck back out of sight, lest he is seen.

“Father,” the young man said, his tone clipped and emotionless.

“Adrien, I told you to-” Gabriel began, turning to glare at his son. He broke off at the thunderous look on the younger man’s face.

“I simply wish to inform you that I will be starting University this week; I am nineteen years old. You no longer have a say in my life,” he announced, before turning on his heel and stalking out of the room. Gabriel Agreste was left, for perhaps the first time in his life, speechless and alone in his office.

  


________

  


“...and so, without further ado, I welcome the incoming group of Freshman to LeClaire University! Here’s to a great first year, and more to come,” the young woman at the podium finished her entrance speech and a loud cheer rose from the mass of incoming students. Excitement was positively buzzing in the air as they began to disperse and form groups, chattering animatedly about the upcoming year. The Freshman Orientation had basically consisted of a tour of the campus and the dorms before they all convened in the Auditorium for the Welcoming speech. Now, they were supposed to get to know each other while enjoying a spread of treats and drinks laid out on tables that lined the far side of the room.

Problem was, Marinette had never been the most socially savvy person in the world. Sure, she could put on an act of bravado as Ladybug and _pretend_ she was perfectly content in her own skin. It was easy, as Paris’ beloved superheroine. As ordinary Marinette? Not so much. Looking at the groups around her, it was easy to note that most of them looked like old friends, reuniting after a summer apart following their high school graduations. Marinette had never felt the need for close friends. In Middle School and High School, she had been well-liked. Not popular, perse, but not a social outcast either. The various cliques at her school had been happy to include her if she so chose, and she was liked enough to have been Student Body President from her second year of Middle School, all through her High School Graduation. She had never had a close friend, however. Well, aside from Chat Noir, of course.

Marinette smiled softly at the thought of her blonde haired partner in crime-fighting. She had met Chat Noir when she was fourteen years old, barely an hour after she had met Tikki and been granted her powers. They had a rocky start, given that neither of them was very experienced in this whole ‘saving lives’ business, but once they got the hang of their powers they started to relax and talk more… then they started bantering and teasing… and before long Marinette realized that _this_ was what friendship was and she actually quite liked it. But as much as she liked being friends with Chat, she had never really clicked with others the way she clicked with him.

There was something _special_ about being around Chat. Maybe it was the fact that she could be herself, without fearing judgment, because at the end of the day he didn’t know who she really was… or maybe it was just Chat as a person that put her at ease. He was her goofy, pun-loving kitty, after all. Either way, she had basically given up making other friends… until now. Marinette wanted to enjoy her University years to the fullest. She wanted to go out with friends on the weekends, to form study dates with her group of besties, to be a normal girl with normal friends for once in her life before starting a career that would undoubtedly take over her life. She couldn’t have that with Chat Noir; not unless she compromised their identities. The next best thing was to try and make an actual friend like a normal human being… which she totally was. It was a good plan, in theory.

“Marinette, if you want to make a friend, you can’t just hide behind a plant!” Tikki hissed helpfully, poking her head out of Marinette’s purse. Marinette glanced quickly around to make sure no one had seen or heard the little creature, but she might as well have been invisible for all the attention her fellow freshman paid her.

“ _Tikki_ , you have to stay out of sight!” Marinette admonished quietly, before frowning. “I’m not _hiding_. The plant just happened to be here, where I’m standing.”

“Right… well either way, you need to go out there and introduce yourself!” The Kwami insisted, blue eyes wide and filled with determination.

“I can’t just walk up to a random stranger and introduce myself. That’s weird!” The dark haired girl protested. The tiny Goddess rolled her eyes.

“That’s how people _typically_ meet others,” she pointed out. Marinette huffed and crossed her arms, prompting another eye roll. “Okay, what if you go stand by the snack table, then? I’m hungry, and you’re more likely to get noticed _over there_ than you are behind this plant.”

Marinette hesitated before sighing and giving a brief nod. After all, she couldn’t exactly deny her Kwami food; what if she had to transform and Tikki didn’t have enough energy? So gathering her courage, the ravenette finally detached herself from the wall and began skirting the room towards the snack table.

  


_____

  


Adrien had a problem. In all his wildest imaginings, he had never _actually_ believed he would find himself here, at his new University’s Freshman Orientation. He never believed he’d _actually_ find himself surrounded by other young adults, _who weren’t fellow models (!?!),_ who were also there to meet new people and learn. Now that he found himself in this situation, however, he was at a bit of a loss. Adrien had never interacted with other people his age that wasn’t either a) another model/celebrity/famous person, or b) Chloe Bourgeois, the mayor’s daughter and the closest thing he had ever had to a real friend. Aside from Plagg, of course, and Ladybug. Now that he _was_ here, the thought of introducing himself to his peers was a daunting task and he found himself loitering awkwardly near the snack table and wishing the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

“You’re being a baby,” Plagg announced unhelpfully, through a mouthful of chewed up camembert cheese. Adrien wrinkled his nose at his Kwami’s lackluster mannerisms and used one finger to shove him back into the pocket of his shirt.

“I am _not_ being a baby, Plagg! And stay out of sight,” he ordered quietly, smiling and waving awkwardly as a few of his fellow students shot him odd looks and scurried away. Great… he was forever going to be known as the weird kid who talked to his shirt pocket now.

“I’m just saying, you really ought to just go out there and introduce yourself,” Plagg retorted, popping back out like a Jack-in-the-box. “Pretend you’re talking to Ladybug or something…”

Adrien opened his mouth to tell Plag that he wasn’t helping when he suddenly realized… the Kwami actually had a point. Adrien, or rather _Chat Noir_ , had never had trouble talking to Ladybug. They had clicked almost instantly and had been best friends pretty much ever since. All he had to do was pretend he was having a totally normal, everyday conversation with his Partner and nothing could go wrong! Encouraged, Adrien spun around to find someone to try out Plagg’s plan on… only to collide with someone who had apparently been standing just behind him. The person squeaked in protest and it was probably only years of catlike reflexes that allowed the blonde to reach out and catch the girl before she landed rather painfully on her rump.

“I am so, so sorr-” the pair began at the same time, before breaking off in awkward laughter. Inadvertently, their eyes drifted to meet and it was like time stood still. Adrien was met with a soft, heart-shaped face framed with long, raven-colored locks, dusted with freckles and dominated by a pair of large, bluebell eyes. Marinette was faced with a chiseled face, topped with perfectly coifed blonde locks and dominated by a pair of the greenest eyes she had ever seen. They blinked, throats suddenly dry as they stared into each other’s gazes, struck by the odd sense of familiarity, despite their certainty that they had never met before.

It was Adrien that broke the spell first, blushing heavily as he finished pulling the girl upright and ensuring she was steady before releasing her as if he had been burned. “Sorry about that! I, um…” He lifted a hand and rubbed nervously at the back of his neck as he stared down at the petite girl before him. _Pretend like you’re talking to Ladybug, you idiot!_ Plagg’s voice oh-so-helpfully shouted in his head. Adrien swallowed before forcing a smile onto his lips. “I guess my cat-like reflexes aren’t quite as great as I originally thought them to be,” he finished sheepishly. The girl blinked owlishly up at him, a similar blush dusting her cheeks. It took her a moment before she managed to shake herself from her stupor and respond.

“No, no… I’m the one who should be sorry! I probably just ruined your shirt! I’ll totally pay to have it dry cleaned… or replaced!” She squeaked in dismay, gesturing to a large red spot now adorning the front of his white dress shirt. Adrien hadn’t even noticed the empty and crushed plastic cup in her hand until now. She looked so distraught, he couldn’t bring himself to point out it was a Gabriel Original, not to mention one of a kind, perfectly tailored to fit him specifically.

“This old thing!? _Naw_ , I think… I think the red is a _meowvelous_ addition,” he offered up with an awkward grin. The girl’s eyebrows arched in surprise at his words and one corner of her lips seemed to twitch in amusement.

“Did… did you just make a _cat pun_?” She asked, lifting one hand to cough into her fist. Adrien mentally winced; he hadn’t meant to let that slip. There was only one person who he had allowed to see his punny sense of humor.

“Well, erm, you see… I um… pun? When I’m nervous?” He squeaked, shifting under the girl’s blue-eyed scrutiny. The girl eyed him another moment before her face seemed to soften into a gentle smile and she giggled quietly into her closed fist.

“That’s _purrfectly_ okay, I happen to be well-versed in cat punnery,” she teased, and suddenly two identical grins stretched across their faces as they stared at one another. The girl stuck out a delicate looking hand, but when Adrienslid his hand into her grasp, he found her grip surprisingly strong. “I’m Marinette.”

“I’m Adrien. It’s nice to meet you, Marinette!”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Adrien!”

  


_____

  


_Present Day_

“You want to do _what?_ ” Marinette asked, equal parts incredulous and amused as she ran her fingers through her loose blue-black locks. It was early Saturday morning and, as they did _every_ Saturday morning, Marinette was meeting Adrien at their favorite Cafe for a caffeine and sugar boost.

“I want to move out,” Adrien repeated, exasperated. “You know my relationship with my father has never been the best, and he’s only gotten worse since I defied him and started attending LeClaire.”

“Okay, I see where you’re coming from… but how does that translate into _us_ getting a place together,” the young woman asked skeptically, lifting her coffee to her lips. She winced as the scalding liquid killed off several of her taste buds and immediately set the drink back on the table. Adrien, in the meantime, shifted uncomfortably across from her.

“Well, you’ve been saying for a while now how much you hate living in the dorms, and how inconsiderate your roommates are… and you and I are best friends! We already spend like… _ninety_ _percent_ of our time together anyway so I figured… why not?” He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit he had thought he’d outgrown, but Marinette had a way of bringing out the worst (and the best) in him depending on the situation at hand.

“That’s true…” the dark haired girl mused, drumming her fingers against the tabletop between them. “You don’t think it would be weird? A guy and a girl living together even though we’re not, you know, _like that_?” She asked, cheeks pinking adorably. Adrien grinned in amusement, allowing him to relax for the first time since arriving at the cafe that morning.

“‘Like that’? You mean _in a relationship_?” He teased playfully. Marinette wrinkled her nose and threw a grape at him in response.

“You know what I mean! People already think we’re dating,” she pointed out with a roll of her eyes. It was true. Marinette and Adrien had been nearly inseparable since their first meeting at their Freshman Orientation and a lot of their classmates eventually began to assume the pair were dating. The two had always been adamant that no, they had no romantic feelings towards one another whatsoever, but for some reason, people simply didn’t believe them. Marinette was constantly being teased by the other girls in her dormitory on the rare occasion she found herself without her friend glued to her side.

“Who cares what they think?” Her ever-unflappable friend responded with a wave of his hand, lifting his own drink to his mouth. He was drinking iced coffee, so he didn’t have to worry about being burned by _his_ drink. “You and I are best friends, Marebear. It would be like a permanent sleepover!”

Marinette mulled over his words as she brought her drink to her lips once again, albeit more cautiously. Luckily the liquid had cooled from its previously molten levels into something much more drinkable and she took a long drag as she considered her best friend’s offer. Truth be told, it didn’t sound like a bad idea. Marinette might have some hesitation about moving in with _any other guy_ , which is why she had refused to live in the coed dormitory when she had originally applied to LeClaire. But Adrien wasn’t _just some guy_. He was her best friend, one of her most trusted confidantes. He was the guy she spent about ninety percent of her time with (when she wasn’t in the suit), and whom she trusted implicitly. He had made a valid point as well, about her hating dorm life.

In the past three years that Marinette had attended University, she had never gotten along with any of her assigned roommates. There was always something about the girls she was paired with that just never sat well with her. Her current roommate was an American transplant named Melissa Collins, and she liked talking to her boyfriend in America at all hours of the day and night, _loudly_. Getting away from her would be reason enough to get a place with Adrien, but there were other perks that she couldn’t deny. For starters, she would have a room to herself for the first time in three years. They would have an actual kitchen, meaning she could make actual food as opposed to eating ramen or relying on takeout. She could just imagine how much she would save, not having to eat takeout ninety percent of the time. There would be actual privacy, bathroom she potentially only had to share with one other person… and she would be living with one of the two most important guys in her life.

“So, supposing I said yes…” she began, drawing Adrien’s hopeful gaze back to her. He had been staring out the glass storefront of the cafe, content to let her make a decision without his input. He had always had infinitely more patience than she could ever hope to achieve.

“Yesssss?” He drawled, leaning closer and planting his elbows on the table, allowing him to rest his chin on his folded hands and smile prettily. She rolled her eyes at him.

“That has never worked on me,” she lied, choosing to ignore the disbelieving snort that escaped him in favor of touching on the subject at hand. “So, supposing I say yes, did you have a place in mind?”

“I was thinking _The Royal Court_ ,” he responded immediately. Marinette’s eyebrows had probably never raised so abruptly and she couldn’t help the disbelieving laugh that escaped. Adrien pouted, looking mildly offended that she would dare to laugh at him. “What’s wrong with _The Royal Court_?”

“Nothing’s _wrong_ with them… it’s just, those are really high-end apartments, Adrien. I couldn’t afford to live there,” she pointed out pragmatically. The young man simply frowned, brow furrowing and head tilting like a confused little puppy.

“I make more than enough money to afford living there, Marinette,” he pointed out. For a moment, Marinette was silent, debating how to broach her reservations without offending her best friend.

“That might be true… but how are we supposed to split an apartment if I can’t afford half of the rent?” She finally settled on, tugging nervously at a loose lock of blue-black hair. Adrien only managed to look even more perplexed by her dilemma.

“I could pay most of the apartment,” he pointed out with a shrug.

“I can’t let you do that!” She protested.

“But why not?” He asked, managing to look like a kicked puppy. Marinette balked and shifted uncomfortably.

“B-because I don’t want to take advantage of your friendship,” she finally pointed out. Adrien seemed to consider her words for a moment before smiling fondly and shaking his head at her.

“You wouldn’t be taking advantage of me, Mari. I’m _offering_ ,” he promised. Marinette hesitated, knowing she should refuse… but Adrien was looking at her with wide, imploring green eyes, his lower lip jutting out slightly in a pout and in the end, she simply didn’t have the heart to tell him now. She sighed in defeat and finally nodded, a small smile curving her lips at the truly ecstatic grin on her friend’s face.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know what you think!


End file.
